Forced withdrawal!

So it’s Christmas and I have decided to take some time out from social media for the week. Coupled with this decision I have managed to leave my Blackberry at home whilst we are visiting family for the week. Now if people know me well, they will realise that I am addicted to being connected. I am on Twitter and Facebook constantly and my Blackberry is the tool of choice to interface with these tools (although my laptop is a close second).

So why did I choose to cut my right arm off, so to speak? Well I have noticed that social media is taking over my interaction with people in real life. I’m twittering when I should be playing Duplo with my daughter. I’m checking Facebook when I should be having a conversation with my wife. There’s definitely a reason why they’re nicknamed “Crackberry” – they are addictive. Apparently Barack Obama is addicted -there are photos of his wife telling him off for using it while on the touchline watching his daughters play soccer.

A connected life is not necessarily a richer life. There are anecdotes of Washington aides checking their Blackberry’s before they have a shower in the morning. Madonna keeps hers under her pillow at night, which is apparently one of the contributing factors in her divorce. Another impact is that with so much information to choose from, we are selecting that which complements our worldview rather than being exposed to a large cross section of opinion with which to temper our outlook on the world.

For me, there’s also the realisation that I need, as I believe everyone does, to take time out from the busyness of life to focus on what is really important. My family will receive more of me, and converse more with me. I think I’ll even try and tackle a few of the many books on my tall reading pile. In Mark 2 we see that Jesus gets up early in the morning and separates himself from the hustle and bustle of life to seek His Father and listen to what he had to say. In another example of this we see Jesus after being baptised goes into the desert from an extended period of time to pray and seek God. Lastly Jesus regularly withdraws from the world to be with his group of disciples.

So lastly, I feel that we need to find the time to disconnect from the world and seek His purpose for what we are trying to achieve. The connections are just tools for us to use to further His will. If they start to take over, and you feel naked when they’re not there, then if you’re a follower of Christ, I think it’s time that you cut the cord. Man should only be dependant on Jesus. Anything else is just not gonna be the same.

So my challenge to anyone, not just Christians, is to go cold turkey and take time out from your cell phone and social networking. This is my last blog for a week. See you on the other side!

[Via http://socialmediagospel.wordpress.com]

On This Day ...

1737 – Antonio Stradivari, died in Cremona, Italy. He is recognized as the most renowned violin maker in history.
1786 – Opera composer Baron Karl von Weberwas born.
1860 – Composer Edward Alexander MacDowell was born.
1892 – Tchaikovsky’s “The Nutcracker Suite” publicly premiered in St. Petersburg, Russia.
1920 – Conductor Arturo Toscanini made his first recording for Victor Records.
1975 – Rod Stewart announced that he was leaving Faces for a solo career.
1984 – Madonna’s “Like a Virgin was the No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit. The song was Madonna’s first No. 1 hit.

[Via http://virtualmusiccomposer.wordpress.com]

the perils of using the seek button while driving through the middle of nowhere

I was recently on an 11 hour road trip through what we’ll call the buckle of the bible belt. My truck comes equipped with a state of the art AM/FM radio – but not much else – so I quickly became well acquainted with the “seek” button.  There comes a point as one passes through the southeastern edge of America’s “heartland” (MissiGeorgiaBama) that the frequencies are suddenly abandoned. That’s right, nothing but soft white noise for miles and miles. I was in such a drive-weary haze by the time I realized that I hadn’t heard Lady GaGa in, like, atleast 20 minutes that it never occurred to me that my trusty-dusty seek button might not do me as much good as it had in the previous 6 hours. I needed music, preferably the tacky top 40 kind. You can’t accidentally fall asleep at the wheel to Lady GaGa singing about her poker face.

On a side note, the love songs that the pop stations play (Does Jeremih’s “Birthday Sex” even count as a love song?) make me wretch uncontrollably if I’m not breathing through my nose.

Onward with our story! I pressed “seek”, and the button sought. And sought. And sought. It finally came to rest on the low end of the spectrum, 91.something. There was a pause before any sound came from my speakers. In this brief moment I had time to contemplate what I was about to hear. As a general rule, stations that lie between 88.1 and about 93.1 FM tend to be either NPR (I could only hope) or fire and brimstone. Y’all know what I’m talking about. In more metropolitan areas I see billboards featuring bright, smiling, conservatively dressed anglo-saxon couples beaming mindlessly at a wooden cross advertising HIS FM 98.5 or HALO 104.3 – All Praise and Worship, All the Time! Not in BFE, kids. Out there in the middle of nowhere they don’t play bouncy Jesus-centric feel good pop songs. They play audio of the Reverend Ronny Bob Jones addressing his congregation from his pulpit at the Church of Sweet Smokin’ Jesus, Did He Just Say That?!

What I heard was not radio. It was noise pollution of the most bizarre kind. The pastor, in his most ridiculous southern Baptist the-end-uh-days-are-a-comin’ voice declared over and over again that yoga, pilates, and zen meditation are all, in fact, TOOLS OF SATAN!

Really? Pilates is a tool of Satan? That’s really unfortunate, because I love pilates. It strengthens my core. I guess by extension then I must also love Satan. Jesus never strengthened my core. I’ve never prayed to Our Heavenly Father and been miraculously blessed with a spectacular tummy.

So if pilates is a tool of Satan, does that mean that Satan in responsible for Madonna’s scary superbitch body? Maybe it is evil.

Later

Morgan

[Via http://bowlofpopcorn.wordpress.com]

Thanks for the Reminder Madonna!

‘Say what you like, do what you feel
You know exactly who you are
The time is right now
You got to decide
Stand in the back or be the star.’

- from Madonna’s Beat Goes On

Yes, I’m quoting a line from a Madonna song. I’ve been listening to 2008’s Hard Candy on my iPod during my workouts at the gym. The music, especially Beat Goes On, inspires me to move faster and push a little harder. The quoted lyrics have also grabbed my attention as I review this soon-to-be-ending year and decade, and look forward to 2010.

As the new year approaches I am envisioning myself in some new, unexplored geographical locations, growing my business as I speak in bigger venues, reaching more people through my J.O.B., forming new and powerful professional and personal alliances (that would mean I’ve got a new love, baby), and happily sharing more of myself with the world as I shine brighter and brighter.

I am ready. I am willing. I am open.

Madonna’s song rings in my ears: ‘The time is right now, You got to decide, Stand in the back or be the star.’

There is no time like right now to step into your greatness. Go on, be the star. What are you waiting for?

I’d like to send a shout out to my Facebook friend Thomas who often quotes Madonna song lyrics in his status updates to great affect. Thanks for your humor, intelligence, and inspiration Thomas! Rock on.

Today I am grateful for my Facebook friends and their endless stream of humor and insights, the world wide web, my computer skills, Jennifer at the new mani/pedi place in Chelsea (thanks for the tip Leslie!), my dentist, clean sheets, heat and hot water, my happy cat, bare trees, my body and breath, and the god/goddess in all things.

Amen.

Thanks and peace to all!

Joe

[Via http://fishingforsoul.wordpress.com]

Tim Burton's Mad Hatter Totally Looks Like Madonna

Tim Burton’s Mad Hatter Totally Looks Like Madonna

» Think you can do better? Make your own!

Pictures by: dunno source Look-alike by: dunno source via Totally Looks Like Builder

[Via http://totallylookslike.com]

Desperately Seeking Susan jacket back in stock!

We make a very limited amount of these because they take so long to do! Since it is a rare item, we thought we’ve have a bit of fun and do some Madonna inspired pics with this latest Desperately 80s jacket. Also featured in the photo and available in the store: Elbow length lace gloves, rosary cross necklaces, 80s Madonna style wig, Black lace bustier

Desperately Seeking Susan jacket replica

[Via http://threemusesclothing.wordpress.com]

MADONNA AND TOM FORD HANG OUT

Tom Ford took Madonna  as his red carpet date to A Single Man’s premiere night at MOMA, Sunday, in New York City.

Where was Amber Rose when he needed her? Madonna looked fab.

[Image courtesy of  Getty Images]

~Posted by Horiwood.Com, Hollywood California USA. 12.6.09~

[Via http://horiwood.com]

Michael Jackson, 1958-2009: A Musical Genius

Ruth

MICHAEL JACKSON, 1958-2009: A MUSICAL GENIUS

Ruth Rikowski has written a substantial new article on Michael Jackson. She analyses the nature of his phenomenal talent, his personal life and personae and the social forces making for the tragedy of his ultimate demise. Ruth draws some parallels between the life and genius of Michael Jackson and Mozart.

You can read Ruth’s article on Michael Jackson can be viewed at: http://www.flowideas.co.uk/?page=articles&sub=Michael%20Jackson 

Glenn Rikowski

[Via http://rikowski.wordpress.com]